Monday, 17 December 2012

I came across this product while shopping online. The mention of tea tree oil made me to go for it since I've heard a lot about the benefits of tea tree oil. It is anti bacterial, anti septic and is really good for treating acne.

Price: 85 INR for 100 ml.

PRODUCT CLAIMS AND INGREDIENTS:

PACKAGING:

The product comes in a see through bottle which has a cap that enables to dispense the required quantity. The bottle is quite sturdy.

SWATCH:

As you can see in the picture above, the cleanser is transparent with a slight tinge of yellow.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE PRODUCT:

A pea sized amount of this cleanser is enough for the entire face. The product has thick liquid like consistency, but not like a gel. It foams up pretty decently and cleanses up my face well. It doesn't over dry my face. I didn't get any breakouts and it also prevented me from further breakouts. Results can be noticed after a month's usage of the product. I wouldn't suggest this cleanser for those having dry skin. This is a boon for oily skinned people. It also removes all traces of makeup (except eyes). I am really happy with this cleanser.

Sunday, 9 December 2012

With the party season in full swing, your skin needs a breather from all that heavy make-up. Here are a few tricks to shield your skin from all those harmful chemicals.

Always opt for a pre make-up prep

Face:

- Make sure your face is well moisturised before you apply make-up. A well moisturised face glows from within, and therefore, less make-up is enough to make it look radiant.

- Wash your face with water, dab it dry and apply a layer of moisturiser suitable to your skin type. Let it soak for 15 minutes and using a cotton ball, dab off all the excess cream off your skin. Now apply a thin coat of face powder or a concealer before applying make-up.

Eyes:

- When it comes to skincare, your eyes are generally the most ignored part of your face, even though you use a lot of make-up around this area.

- After washing your face, dab it dry and apply a generous coat of petroleum jelly on your eye-lids and the under-eye area. Let it absorb for 15 minutes and then dab off excess oil with a cotton ball. Use a little face powder or regular talc on that area and brush off. Start with the first coat of eye shadow.

Lips:

- Most vulnerable to the harsh winter winds, your lips are often left dry and get chapped, which could lead to painful cuts. Invest in a tinted lip balm that will give you some colour and mosturise your lips at the same time. Buy one that comes with an SPF protection.

- Before you do up your lips for a party, apply a thick layer of lip balm on them. Rub your lips together, so that it's spread evenly across the surface and let it soak for 10 minutes. Dab off the excess with a cotton ball and apply a layer of powder on your lips. The powder will act as a barrier thereby preventing the moisture from escaping. This will also help the lip colour last longer.

To remove your make-up

Face:

-It is absolutely crucial to remove the make-up before you go off to sleep. Layers of make-up clog your skin pores, restricting your skin from breathing, which could lead to pimples and discolouration of skin.

- Wash your face with a soap-free, pH-balanced cleanser to remove all the make-up and clear the pores. If you have oily skin, go for the foam or gel-based ones for better results. Wipe your face and apply tiny drops of night cream or moisturiser along the contours of your face. Gently massage your face in a circular motion with your fingertips. This will help absorb the moisturiser faster.

Eyes:

-Special care needs to be taken when you are removing eye make-up, as the skin around your eyes is very sensitive. The eye-liner or kajal gets absorbed into the skin, leaving the area under the eye dark. Prolonged usage will render the skin dry, patchy and prone to wrinkles.

- Gently wash the area around your eyes with a foam-based face wash. Next, apply a coat of petroleum jelly and gently wipe it off using a cotton ball. Finally, clean the corners of your eyes using an ear-bud. Apply an under-eye cream and leave it on overnight. This will help restore moisture.

Lips:

- It is a known fact that your lips are five times more sensitive than your facial skin. Therefore, one should take extra care while removing make-up from your lips, instead of scrubbing your lips or licking the lipstick off.

- Use a gentle cleanser to clean the make-up off your lips. In case of persistent lip colour, soak a cotton ball in some regular body lotion and gently massage it over your lips in circular motion. Now apply a thick coat of lip balm and leave it on overnight.

Monday, 3 December 2012

The first step in choosing proper care for your face is knowing your skin type. I've compiled this article from various sources as I feel this is the most important step before you begin any beauty regimen.

The market is filled with thousands of different beauty products. The diversity is immense, so is the confusion. Amidst all of the different brands, all of the different cleansers, moisturizers, toners and other so called "must-haves", how does one really choose which products to use?

The first step is discovering your own skin type. Just as each person differs in height or weight, each person is endowed with a different skin type. Generally, all skin types can fall into 5 categories. These are normal, dry, oily, combination and problem skin types.

Pic courtesy: www.sheknows.comKnowing Your Skin Type

Discovering and embracing your very own skin types entails listening to your skin and understanding it. The normal skin is soft, smooth and supple to the touch. It is neither too dry nor oily. Its pores are hardly visible and break-outs are rare. In other words, people gifted with this skin type belong to the measly 20% that have normal skin.

Dry skin tends to feel tight and constricted. There is also a tendency for fine lines to appear around the eyes or the mouth. After washing the face, it immediately feels tight and dry. Oily skin on the other hand is the complete opposite of the dry skin. After washing, it feels normal but a few hours later, it looks greasy already. Its complexion is rough and it tends to have blackheads and whiteheads. Pores are large and visible to the naked eye.

The combination skin is the "in-between" of the dry and oily skin types. It tends to be oily in the t-zone and dry in other areas. There is an imbalance in the skin such that both types exist on the same face. The t-zone refers to the area of the forehead, nose and chin. The problem skin type is the acne-prone skin. It has constant breakouts of blackhead, whiteheads and pimples. The skin is usually oily and has large visible pores.

These are the 5 general skin types. Some people can manifest more than one type. What is important is to determine which skin types you're closest to. After determining your skin type, the next step is knowing how to care for your skin.

Caring for Your Skin

The normal skin type requires very little maintenance. For the fortunate minority gifted with this skin type, it does not mean it should not be taken care of. It still needs to be cleansed, toned, moisturized and protected. It can probably use any beauty product in the market.

The dry skin type requires a lot of moisturizing aside from cleansing and toning. Cream-based cleansers work well with dry skin. Toners with alcohol and other drying components must be avoided. The oily skin type requires a gentle cleanser twice a day. Any more than that would lead the sebaceous glands (oil producing glands of the skin) to overproduce oil to compensate for the loss. Moisturizing is also needed despite the oiliness of the skin. Toning is an essential to remove excess oil and cool the skin. Oily skin types must always look for water-based products. Oil-based ones will only aggravate the oiliness.

Combination skin types demand more attention because the oily and dry areas must be treated separately to be able to restore balance. Toning must only be done on the oily areas. Moisturizing applies to the entire face but attention must be paid to the dry areas. Finally, the problem skin type demands the most attention. It must be careful with selecting beauty products. Cleansers, moisturizers and toners must be hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic. Non-comedogenic means that the product will not block the pores. It is also advisable for problem skin types to consult with a dermatologist to help remedy the problem.

Sunday, 2 December 2012

Since I live in Goa, which is on the coast, the weather is humid most of the time. Winters are not so cold either. Therefore a good sunscreen is a must. I was looking out for a sweat resistant sunscreen as I tend to sweat a lot due to the humid weather. Sadly, most of the sunscreens failed to live up to my expectations. I have fair skin and therefore get tanned easily. Lotus Herbals have a good range of sunscreens which are good enough for my face but I don't prefer to use them on the body. One day I happened to talk to my aunt, who lives in the U.S. about sunscreens and she surprised me by sending me a sunscreen lotion for a trial. I must say, this sunscreen has really worked for me. Here is my take on the product.

INGREDIENTS:

PACKAGING:

The product comes in an off white tube with blue flip-cap which makes it easier to dispense the right amount of lotion and also shuts tightly. No fear of any leakage.

SWATCH:

As you can see above, the lotion is white in colour.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE PRODUCT:

The formula is a nice creamy, quick absorbing, moisturizing SPF and does not leave a white cast. Daily use helps in removing tan and also prevents further skin darkening. This is great to use as a body sunscreen. This product is water resistant and it does not wear off when you sweat. It is a good choice since global warming has gotten worse. It protects against the sun's harmful rays which can cause skin damage. One major drawback of this lotion is that it makes my skin very oily within minutes of application, especially the face. I wouldn't recommend it for those with oily skin. You may want a more mattifying product. However, if you have dry skin then it's best for you. I also like that it doesn't have a fragrance, or at least, not a strong one. Although I used it on the face, I didn't get any breakouts. It feels greasy, so I don't prefer to use it on my face. But it is my favourite for the body.

PROS:

1. Absorbs quickly

2. No fragrance

3. Sweat resistant

4. Prevents skin darkening and protects against both UVA and UVB

5. Didn't break me out

6. Great for those having dry skin

7. Excellent body sunscreen

CONS:

1. A complete no-no for oily skinned people

2. Bottle is a bit bulky to carry around

Apart from these , I can't think of any other negative points.

RATING:

I would rate this product 3.5/5

TIPS:

1. For added protection from the sun, wear sunglasses and hat.

2. Apply sunscreen under your clothes.

3. Buy a special sunscreen for your face based on your skin type.

4. Cream sunscreen is the best, not spray.

5. Even if you apply sunscreen, do not over expose yourself in the sun.

6. Generally, after applying sunscreen your skin will get a little darkened. To avoid this, apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before getting out, to have the glow as well as the protection.

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